Faculty, staff, and visiting artists serve a vital role as mentors in students’ development by providing technical, professional, and conceptual information that is specific to each major.

We help students build their resume from the day they arrive by connecting them to professional experiences that utilize their creative talents. The Artists at Work office supplements the curricular experience by bringing professionals, alumni, speakers, and members of the business community to campus to present workshops, lead panel discussions, provide tips, and interview on-site with students for employment opportunities.

Student Grant for Professional Development and Entrepreneurship

About

The Artists at Work grant helps BFA, MFA, and MAT students advance their studio and professional skills by accessing opportunities and experiences beyond the MECA classroom.

Grantwriting workshop, Friday, February 9, 2018 at 12:30 in Artists at Work

Professional Development Series

About

MECA partnered with Creative Portland and Maine Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts to present a monthly series of workshops on business basics for artists, including grantwriting, taxes, copyright issues, crowdsourcing, and marketing. Generous funding for the series came from the Quimby Family Foundation. Below are links to the videos, slideshows, and resources related to each workshop.

Health Insurance and Wellness in the Arts

From preventative care to understanding the Affordable Healthcare Act, this session is dedicated to keeping artists and their practices healthy. Presenters will include Sage Hayes co-founder of Justice in the Body, Beth O’Hara-Miklavic Education & Outreach director from Maine Community Health Options, artist Kate Carey and Edie Summers, wellness coach.

The implications of growing as an artist and art based business including fabrication, production, sourcing, and staffing. Presenters include artist Aaron Stephan, designer Erin Flett and career coach Barbara Babkirk of Heart at Work Associates.

Evaluating which tools are right for you and linking them all together. Making the most of your contacts. Presenters to be announced. Presented by Presented by visual artist Mark Marchesi, musician Spencer Albee and Emily Brackett of Visible Logic.

Getting professional photos of your work, naming and sizing standards, organizing your digital assets. Presenters to be announced.
Presenters included local photographer Robert Diamante, Ezekiel Callanan from Optcliff ESQ/Maine Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts and Edwige Charlot from Creative Portland.